9/10
SEO Website copy for Arches National Park and Moab websites
Drea Knufken 2007

Arches National Park Geology

Introduction

The geology at Arches National Park is nothing short of stunning. The park contains more than 2,000 ancient rock formations, many of them formed into arches, bridges, towers, and other unique shapes. Wind, erosion, and deposition combined over millions of years to create the awe-inspiring geology at Arches today.

Details

Arches National Park started as a salt bed, deposited by ancient oceans millions of years ago. Over time, oceans would repeatedly cover the area, then dry up, leaving layers of debris that eventually hardened into a rock bed known as the Paradox Formation. As pressure on the surface increased over the years, it became unstable, creating grooves, pools, and faults. The uneven manner in which the rock developed led to the spires, arches, and other unique geologic formations you'll see at Arches today.

Arches were formed when the unstable surface of the Paradox Formation buckled up, creating domes with vertical instabilities that would later hollow out to become the centers of arches. Fins, the long, parallel rock formations you'll see in the park, were formed when wind and water eroded away softer rock and left harder, older rock slabs. You'll also see formations such as balancing rocks, pools, and spires.

If you look closely, you can trace the history of the Arches' geology on the rocks themselves. Each layer of the sedimentary rock represents a time period in its formation—for example, a layer from the Triassic Period might look different from one originating in the Cretaceous Period.

Arches National Park Trails

Introduction

The high desert in Arches National Park and Moab presents some exciting hiking opportunities. With more than 21 trails at Arches National Park and Moab, this scenic high desert is a hiker's dream. Trails range from easy half-milers to more difficult all-day climbs. Be sure to come prepared for the conditions.

Details

Hiking in the high desert is one of the best ways to drink in fantastic scenery in the Moab and Arches National Park area. From ancient sandstone arches to pools of clear desert water, the landscape here is delicate, beautiful, and harsh at once. More often than not, trails may meander across cairn-marked slickrock, through dusty flash flood beds, underneath rock formations, and through impossibly narrow canyons. Viewing the ancient arches and sandstone formations by foot is only half the adventure. Spectacular valley views, fragile desert wildflowers, wildlife like hawks and lizards, and inclement weather round out the joy of hiking in this region.

Because you're hiking in in a very dry, high-altitude environment, it pays to be prepared. Bring lots of water, sun protection, snacks, and rain gear in the spring or fall. Note that temperatures can vary greatly, so if you're camping or out at night, bring warm clothes. Take care not to step on any black, crusty soil—this is called “biological soil crust” and is actually composed of lichens, algae and bacteria that have been growing for thousands of years. The crust provides nutrients and a foundation for other desert plants to grow on.

Some trails of note include the Amphitheatre Loop Trail, a 6-mile round-trip hike that includes sweeping views from the Richardson Amphitheatre, and the Corona Arch, a 2-hour round-trip slickrock hike that leads you under a sweeping arch. A good medium-length hike is the Fisher Towers Trail, which leads you to some unusual-looking towers and near the Colorado River.

Arches National Park History

Introduction

From the hunter-gatherers who first came to Arches National Park at the end of the Ice Age to the variety of people living there now, the Moab/Arches area has a fascinating history that is typical of the Southwest. The mysterious Ancient Puebloans settled here 2,000 years ago, only to vanish years later for reasons still unknown today. Later, Mormon homesteaders, prospectors, ranchers, and farmers settled the region, captivated by the beauty and opportunity it still presents to this day.

Details 

People came to Arches National Park as early as 10,000 years ago, mainly to hunt and gather. Archaeologists have found debris piles made of the stone knives, arrowheads, and darts these Ice Age-era people used as tools. About 8,000 years later, Ancestral Puebloan people settled the area and raised crops such as maize, beans, and squash. These mysterious peoples inhabited the entire Four Corners regions, and you can still see some of their ancient cities in nearby ruins like Hovenweep and the Canyons of the Ancients. Arches National Park doesn't contain any ruins; however, you will find inscription panels in rocks throughout the park.

The Ute Native Americans came into the Arches and Moab area many years after the ancestral Puebloans disappeared. They also left petroglyphs; the one by Wolfe Ranch in Arches National Park is an example. In the mid-1700s, the first Europeans came to the area, missionaries from Spain. Tensions between the Ute and European settlers, who were mostly Mormon, held off large-scale settlement of the area until the late 1800s. In the early 1920s, a prospector named Alexander Ringhoffer worked with the Rio Grande National Railroad to garner more publicity for the beautiful red-rock land around Moab and Arches. In 1929, the publicity made its way to President Herbert Hoover, who signed Arches into a National Monument. In 1971, Arches became protected as a National Park.